Crimson Oak Consulting - 03.01.2012

Marietta, GA based Crimson Oak Consulting is pleased to announce that they have joined Belgium-based Itineris to offer North American utilities expanded strategies, solutions and consulting services.

Previously, Crimson Oak Consulting was one of the only organizations in North America to offer Legacy CIS extension strategies for electric, gas and water utilities specializing primarily in the Customer/1 and Ventyx Customer Suite applications but providing business process reengineering and PMO services across the industry.

A promising new era for both companies

Itineris will support and expand Crimson Oak Consulting’s already robust portfolio of services through the Itineris name and UMAX™, an out-of-the box CIS Solution built on the Microsoft Dynamics AX® platform. UMAX™ offers effective tools for communicating with utility customers and managing their information.

“We are building on our extensive utility industry experience and relationships,” says John Beddingfield, CEO of Crimson Oak Consulting. “In addition to the consulting services that have gained us an excellent reputation, we will now offer UMAX™, a proven CIS solution which will give North American clients an exciting alternative to inflexible, aging CIS platforms. UMAX™ has the capacity to adapt to new market regulations, meet smart metering demands, and provide high quality customer service; all for a lower total cost of ownership than alternative solutions.”

With a similar vision, Itineris’ CEO, Edgard Vermeersch wanted to offer a product with a solid reference base and robust functionality often found in products with a much higher price tag. Seeing the gap in the North American market, opportunity to support Itineris’ growth strategy of rapidly growing their utility software and consulting business, along with supporting the organizational development of the company, the acquisition of U.S. based Crimson Oak Consulting is a major step towards fulfilling this strategy.

"Combining Crimson Oak Consulting with Itineris, we add extensive knowledge of the North American utility market and enlarge our area of activities and expertise. Crimson Oak is one of the only companies to offer legacy CIS life extension strategies to utility companies and has an excellent reputation. The deep expertise and experience of Crimson Oak employees within that market is a crucial asset to Itineris and its North American customers ", says Edgard Vermeersch, Managing Director of Itineris. "They will continue to focus on their current activities with their excellent team but as of today Crimson Oak can offer an alternative solution to utilities ready to switch to our more flexible, agile and powerful CIS solution: UMAX™ on the Microsoft Dynamics AX® 2012 platform."

Crimson Oak Consulting was founded by John Beddingfield, a fifteen year veteran of utility industry consulting, with his four partners, each with over ten years of industry experience.

About Itineris

Headquartered near Ghent - Belgium, Itineris is focused on the international utility industry through IT applications and consulting.

Itineris was founded in 2003 by Edgard Vermeersch and has shown steady growth. In just a few years it has established a sound financial profile and a large customer base throughout throughout Europe.

Itineris offers innovative CIS solutions (UMAX™) built on the Microsoft Dynamics AX® platform and related IT services to electric, gas, water and cable utilities in both regulated and deregulated markets. Today, with the integration of the Crimson Oak Consulting, Itineris employs over 200 utility experts.

About UMAX™

UMAX™ is an out-of-the box CIS Solution, offered by Itineris and built on the Microsoft Dynamics AX® platform that provides:

• Tools for communicating with utility customers and managing their information

• Process optimization and transparent exception management

• Flexibility to adapt to changing business processes via a powerful workflow engine

• Smooth and efficient upgrades, through a layered software structure

• Low total cost of ownership using the trusted Microsoft name

This powerful solution integrates tools and processes for effective sales support and an improved customer experience. It unites a lean management philosophy along with established utility processes that streamline operations and decreases costs.

UMAX™ has streamlined operations, improved customer interaction and reduced IT maintenance costs at Eneco, Intergas, SPE, Essent, VMW and several other European utilities.